The invention relates to a process and apparatus for dispersing submunition bodies which are expelled from a flight aggregate or a container mounted at the flight aggregate together with a parachute pack connected to them and which, after the parachute pack has opened up and flown off, float to the ground hanging on parachutes.
A parachute pack with a submunition body of the above-noted type is known on the basis of U.S. Pat. No. 38 17 179. In that case, the submunition body is a mine which is connected by way of a connecting cord with the parachute pack comprising two shells. The mine and the parachute pack together are manually thrown out of a slow-flying flight aggregate, such as a helicopter, the parachute pack also being connected with the flight aggregate by means of holding line. When the connecting cord as well as the holding line are drawn tight, the shell parts of the parachute pack are separated from one another by means of a tear string and are supposed to fly off. The holding line which is connected with the vertex of the parachute can then pull out the parachute, after which it tears off at a predetermined breaking point and thus releases the mine with the parachute. This arrangement has several disadvantages. The manual throwing-out is possible only from a slow-flying flight aggregate. The ripping-open of the two pack sack halves cannot take place before both lines are drawn tight. During slow flying, the two pack sack shells may prevent the parachute from opening and damage it. Several flights are necessary to cover a fairly large area with mines.
It is an object of the invention to develop a process for dispersing submunition bodies of the initially mentioned type in such a manner that the parachute can be brought out without any danger also during fast flying and that the possibility exists to disperse the submunition bodies over a fairly large area in only one overflight.
This object is achieved according to the invention by providing an arrangement comprising:
tightening of the grappling ropes of the parachutes after the expulsion, PA1 pulling-out of trigger pins from cutting devices arranged at pack sack closing lines by one of the grappling ropes respectively, PA1 activating of combustion units contained in the cutting devices with a respective given start of the burning time, PA1 cutting of the pack sack closing lines by cutting pistons driven by the combustion units, PA1 flying-off of the pack sacks and the cutting devices, PA1 opening of the parachutes and the floating-down of the submunitions bodies, and PA1 dispersing of the submunition bodies on a surface at distances depending on the start of the burning time of the combustion units for the cutting devices.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.